Latest news with #EmRusciano
News.com.au
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Ex-Project star Em Rusciano slams show over segment: ‘Frankly dehumanising'
Former Project panellist Em Rusciano has publicly lambasted her former employer over what she branded a 'frankly dehumanising' segment which aired on the show recently. Rusciano, 46, was incensed with a segment about the overprescription of medication to treat ADHD – a condition she herself was diagnosed with four years ago. The Project hosts spoke to Professor Ian Hickie, co-director of the University of Sydney's Brain and Mind Centre, who claimed that 'we should really worry about inappropriate prescribing'. 'There's quite high figures and the figures have been going up, particularly in teenagers in Australia,' he warned. 'So, there's a real concern about the appropriateness – who's getting medications? Are they the kids in most need, and are they having the desired effect in educational and behavioural outcomes?' Rusciano, who was a regular panellist on the show between 2011 and 2022, took issue with his claims, posting an angry reaction to her 240,000-plus Instagram followers. 'Why does The Project continue to target the ND (neuro-divergent) community with these s***house, clickbait, and frankly dehumanising segments,' she wrote over a screenshot of the interview. 'Actually, get f***ed.' It's not the first time Rusciano has publicly criticised her former workplace. Back in 2023, amid a furore over a controversial Jesus joke by Reuben Kaye, she accused Network Ten of having 'thrown' their guest 'under the bus'. The queer comic, appearing as a guest on The Project in late February, spoke about the hate he had received for his sexuality and for dressing up in drag – particularly from the Christian community – before making the X-rated remark. 'I love Jesus, I love any man who can get nailed for three days straight and come back for more,' Kaye quipped on Tuesday night, prompting a stunned reaction from host Waleed Aly and a giggle from co-host Sarah Harris. The pair issued a grovelling on-air apology to their viewers the following day. But Rusciano took to Twitter in the aftermath to criticise the network for its handling of the issue. 'I find it pretty hard to believe that (Reuben Kaye)'s joke that stopped a nation wasn't script approved,' she tweeted. 'I've worked on The Project – VERY little is off the cuff! A tiny, tiny amount. They've flat out thrown him under the bus (in my opinion). Sorry, but someone had to say it.' Rusciano, 44, followed up with another tweet in support of Kaye. 'They honestly don't deserve him and his talent. I dunno if Australia deserves him! In the end, we always seem to champion the non-threatening and the mediocre.'
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Em Rusciano slams her former employer The Project over 'dehumanising' ADHD story in scathing post: 'Get f***ed'
Em Rusciano has slammed her former employer The Project after the Network Ten show aired a segment about ADHD this week. The podcaster, 46, was diagnosed with the condition four years ago and took severe umbrage with a segment about the overprescription of ADHD medication. The piece featured Professor Ian Hickie, co-director of the University Of Sydney 's Brain, And Mind Centre who warned of the dangers of 'inappropriate' ADHD prescriptions. 'We should really worry about inappropriate prescribing,' he said. 'There's quite high figures and the figures have been going up, particularly in teenagers in Australia. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'So, there's a real concern about the appropriateness - who's getting medications? Are they the kids in most need? And, are they having the desired effect in educational and behavioral outcomes?' The segment did not sit well with Rusciano, who took to social media to voice her displeasure. She took to her Instagram story on Wednesday to reshare a comment she posted under The Project's post of the segment. Pulling no punches, Rusciano slammed the segment as 'dehumanising' while claiming The Project 'targets' neurodivergent people. 'Why does The Project continue to target the ND community with these s***house, clickbait, and frankly dehumanising segments,' she said. She then offered the Network Ten current affairs show a final line of invective with 'Actually, get f***ed.' Rusciano was a regular panelist on The Project, appearing on the show from 2011 to 2022. it's not the first time Rusciano has taken aim at at her former employers. In 2023, she criticised the show over gay comedian Reuben Kaye's off-colour joke about Jesus Christ. She accused The Project of throwing Kaye 'under the bus' by distancing itself from him and offering a sombre apology stressing how 'deeply and needlessly offensive' his joke was. 'I find it pretty hard to believe that Reuben Kaye's joke that stopped a nation wasn't script-approved,' Rusciano tweeted. Rusciano's latest salvo comes after she slammed another former employer, Triple M, following former host Marty Sheargold's comments about the Matildas. Sheargold was axed from the network after telling listeners 'there's something wrong with the Matildas' before comparing the team to 'Year 10 girls'. Following the embattled host's dumping, Rusciano took to her Instagram story to claim there is an inherent misogynist culture at the network. Rusciano, who worked on the Triple M Perth breakfast show for four years, claimed to have experienced misogyny at the station first-hand. 'Fun fact,' the former 2DayFM star wrote began the post. 'When I went into MMM to meet with [an employee] in 2012 about possibly doing some stuff with them, I was told: "Unless you have a c*** and b***s, I don't care about your opinion".' Rusciano then went on to say that it was a sentiment that was shared regularly with staff. 'I later found out that he would also say that at the weekly team meetings. In front of actual people. Some of whom did NOT have a c*** and or b***s,' she said. In an accompanying video, she said she was glad that Australian women were speaking out about Sheargold's vile comments about women in sport. 'I just feel like he hit on a collective issue - Don't mess with the Matildas, don't degrade women's sport,' she added. 'We've just had enough. We were looking for a tipping point and weirdly enough it's some bogan on Bogan FM. Let's go, girls.' Rusciano's strong words came after she took to social media in February to slam the country's entire commercial radio sector. 'When are the Aussie PR gals, gays and theys going to stop handing their biggest interviews to commercial radio hosts who clearly couldn't give a s**t?' Em ranted. 'You know, the ones who blame their producers for their lack of prep, make zero effort to be engaging or entertaining, and worst of all don't even cater to the demographic they are supposedly targeting?' The Melbourne-born star added she always had great interviews on her independently produced Emsolation podcast, and was frustrated that she had to fight hard to book talent.
